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Amethyst A letter goes out to Bright, Silk, and Black Pearl, asking to meet after business hours in her shop to discuss matters of a possible alliance between this errant dynast and the local anathema. The younger dragon can only hope that this will end well, otherwise, things will become very hard for her very quickly. But, no point on speculating what /might/ go wrong. Instead, she says her little prayer to the dragons, and waits for the others to arrive.
Black Pearl Bright Pearl makes her way to the shop at a decent time early, bringing with her--or rather servants bringing with her--a variety of food suitable for light snacks, as well as fresh juices. The water-caste is dressed immaculately in flowing silk, long hair braided down her back. WHen she arrive, she smiles to Amethyst. "Good evening, thank you for the invitation! I hope that things go well tonight."
Bright Journey No question this meeting is serious. As serious as a heart attack...as serious as war in the Realm.

Bright Journey has spent a lifetime, most of it unknowing, the last few years of it in all too acute knowledge of the part the gods--no, the Unconquered Sun Himself--expects her to play. Peace amongst those who would defend Creation. Shoulder to shoulder lined up against the darkness.

They're pretty words, and Bright Journey certainly knows from pretty words. But ultimately, how much do they mean? If she's wrong about this Black Pearl, or if she simply alienates the woman, everything she's spent her life honing could be hamstrung.

Or she could pave the way towards an understanding that stands the test of time.

Tonight is only the tiniest first step. It's nothing momentous...yet. Time will see if she will get the chance to take another.

Bright doesn't have regalia, precisely, but she certainly has her armor and a deeply hooded cloak to hide it within. So she is when she walks towards Amethyst's apothecary shop. She is also not alone.

Silk Moon Lotus Silk walks two steps behind Bright dressed for all to see like a servant following their master. She convinced Bright this was the correct option as it would allow them the chance to meet this Black Pearl without them knowing there are two of them.
She carries a basket with fresh fruits and a nice bottle of wine to be shared by her "master" with the Dynast and Ames.
Amethyst Amethyst greets each in turn, and wonders if she should hire a few servants herself to help manage her own affairs. Maybe get a few well trained mortal alchemists to help with the business when she's not around. Regardless, she smiles and leads them to her workshop, which has actually been cleared of the piles of jade and books that were on it before, and her alchemy supplies are tucked away in the places they go rather than simply strewn all over the table. "I trust you're all doing well tonight?"

There's a grace to Ammie that definitely wasn't there before. She sounds way more sure of herself and holds herself more confidently. Has she been practicing her social skills?

Black Pearl "Thank you, and I am doing well," Black Pearl says. She still looks calm and collecte. "I certainly look forward to meeting your friends, and hopeing to befriend them as well." She smiles to the other two women, but waits to for introductions.
Bright Journey The two women make their way to the shop, and it doesn't take an Immaculate Monk to tell which one is the Anathema. One is short, mousy, plainly dressed, subservient, and carrying a basket of gifts. The other is...yeah. Even hooded and cloaked, it's hard to hide there's something special about this one, and when she brushes her hood back from her bright pink hair, she offers Amethyst a dazzling smile. She's impossibly clean, wears what has to be orichalcum armor, and shines in a way that's almost impossible to ignore. Even more so than she normally does--Amethyst in particular would note that something is different. She was already a lovely vision and a confident social butterfly, but now she's something even more. She's pulled out the stops for this, despite not wearing much different from usual. She certainly distracts from her servant.

As Amethyst invites them in Bright nods to Black pearl in cordial greeting, but doesn't say anything until both she and her maid are across the threshold and Amethyst closes the door behind them. Once the door is shut, her smile grows less formal and more fond.

"I'm doing well, Amethyst, and thank you for inviting me. I realize this meeting will be a bit tense to start, but I'm hoping we'll all be friends by night's end. My indispensable helper, Lily." She gestures to her maid. "I don't know quite what I'd do without her." She's still smiling, as she looks to Amethyst for introductions.

Silk Moon Lotus Silk as Lily takes each of the items out of the basket and presents them to Amethyst as offerings to the host "Oranges from the Cinder Isles and a bottle of wine from the vineyards of Blessed Isle from the year 467 of the Scarlet Dynasty. A most auspicious year for the wine so my lady tells me." She bows properly to each of the Dragon blooded and steps back to stand by the other servants waiting for instructions.
Amethyst Bright's appearance is definitely something that Amethyst wasn't quite expecting. She really went all out on identifying herself as Anathema. "My Bright, you look positively great today. You look more amazing than some of the Noble Raksha I've met." And Ammie looks curiously at 'Lily'. She squints a little bit, but then relaxes and addresses both Bright and Pearl,

"So, you both know me, as either Peleps Yim Ametis, or as simply Yim Amethyst. This is Black Pearl, also known as Cynis Salara, our resident Dynast and owner of the Chateau of Resplendent Delights," She gestures towards the other water dragon, and then gestures towards the incredible looking lass, "And this is Bright Journey, a chosen of the sun, though I do not know if I ever learned your caste."

"Regardless, as you know, I've brought you both here today so that we form a friendship and a bond that spans the gap between what the Immaculate Order teaches, and the reality of the world: a Solar and a Dynast becoming, if not allies, then friends."

Black Pearl "Bright Journey...I think I have seen you at my establishment before? But yes, it is good to meet you. I admit to some...trepidation, but..." She breathes in and then gives a warm smile, "I am hopeful that we can have a meeting of minds and look to the future with perhaps goals in common."
Bright Journey Bright beams at the compliment, perhaps breaking character a bit but looking a touch more human. "Well, why thank you! I won't deny there's some days I want to draw...well, not -quite- so much attention. But it's nice to look nice sometimes, you know? Today seemed like the right day.

"And it's nice to meet you, Black Pearl. I...honestly confess I don't remember being in the Chateau of Resplendent Delights, but I may stop by some time."

As Amethyst mentions that she's not sure of Bright's caste, Bright looks genuinely surprised. "Oh! It never even occurred to me that you didn't know. I suppose it never came up. There's a few flowery sobriquets for them in the older books, but I suppose the most straightforward term is the Eclipse Caste. Diplomats and emissaries, essentially. That's an excellent shorthand for why I agreed to meet you here as a matter of fact, Black Pearl." She sits down, crossing her legs delicately and leaning forward a bit to look at the Dynast, then glances to one side. "Lily, this definitely calls for the wine. Would you be a dear and pour for us please? And one for yourself."

Bright Journey looks firmly at Black Pearl and laces her fingers together, elbows on the table. "If there's one thing that guides my philosophy on life, it's that when the defenders of Creation fight, it doesn't matter who is left standing--the winners are the Deathlords, the Raksha, the demons. I would like very much to bring those who love Creation together. I will not lie, I am well aware you could make my life miserable by revealing my presence to the Wyld Hunt. But I'm here anyway, in hopes that you'll see how counterproductive that is."

Silk Moon Lotus Silk moves forward and expertly opens the bottle of wine. She produces four crystal flutes from the basket and pours each of the exalts a glass then pours herself a smaller portion. She places a glass before each of the ladies at the table. She courtsies to Bright "Thank you my lady, you are very kind." She steps behind Bright in just the right place for an honored servant and take a slight sip after Bright has taken her first drink, savoring the exquisite taste.
Amethyst The younger dragon sips on her wine, and contemplates, "I don't think I would have gathered you if I thought that the wyld hunt was going to be a possibility. Though it is remote, it would be a betrayal of the mystic bond me and Salara now share." She nods a little towards Salara.

"As for Raksha, I will say there are quite a few who look to Creation with fascination rather than with envy and hunger, those of the Duchery of the Broken Mirror, which is the dominant power over in Elderloch, where I learned to be a sorceress."

"For the rest, the fall of Thorns is a terrifying event done by those that I might truly call Anathema. And I am sure that Creation's enemies are just /waiting/ for the war for the throne to begin."

Black Pearl "The Wyld Hunt...serve themselves, not the Realm," Black Pearl says. "It would run...counter to my interests to summon them here, or against you. Of course, I hope we don't have any fallings out between us. But that's what I wanted to know you, personally, so that we can hopefully find common ground and goals." She looks somber, but then smiles. ANd she nods back to Ametis. "You know my hopes, my goals...and how the Hunt would throw them into disarray." She ponders. "Thorns...most of the city's soldiers fell in battle against them. Do you think there will be another conflict between Thorns and here? The dead are...unnerving."
Bright Journey Thoughtfully sipping her wine, Bright Journey looks at Amethyst and Black Pearl, listening without immediate comment. After a few moments, she looks at Amethyst curiously. "The people of this...Elderloch...are not actually going about kidnapping and killing people? Perhaps what I read was a little too...I don't know, generic. I suppose it would be foolish of me to think everyone of one group acts the same way." She grins a bit and looks at Black Pearl. "That kind of thinking would get me nowhere. But you're absolutely right, Amethyst--I get the same feeling. Thorns was just the beginning, and a wake up call we would be idiots to not heed."

Bright gives Black Pearl a confident smile. "I am not an expert on the shadowlands," she says, "but I can promise I have weapons powerful against unclean creatures. I have lain low demons before, as Amethyst can swear to."

Silk Moon Lotus Silk spends a lot of her time watching Black Pearl and reading the subtle movements of her body. She brings to bear all of the hours of training she spent learning to read people playing cards and decides that Pearl is being honest about her intentions.
Lily clears her throat to get Bright's attention. "Would my lady like the sugared dates to go with the other offerings?"
Amethyst "The Raksha are frequently thought of as enemies against Creation, and while the Unshaped Raksha certainly are, the shaped ones who live in the bordermarches and middlemarches are much more sympathetic, at the very least, having this weird love/hate relationship with Creation. And then there's the Duchery of the Broken Mirror, who want to live at harmony with Creation and the Creation-Born rather than tear it apart and eat souls. Some rare few are even Sanskara, having transcended to become Raksha who can live among Creation's shores idenfinitely and have a soul as vulnerable as any human, and upon their death they are fated to reincarnate as fae-blooded."

"As far as further activity goes, I'm sure if the Deathlords try anything too bold that Lookshy will respond in kind. They managed to repel the Realm for, uh, the last 700 or so years? I think they'll be fine against them here, for now. But it would be utterly terrifying if the Deathlords gained as much power as the Bull of the North did. But I can confirm that Bright has skill with destroying spirits, and there is no shortage of documents that would help me and Salara learn such arts as well."

Black Pearl "In any event," Black Pearl says, "Is there more you wish to know? Or...what dreams do you have for a better day for all of Creation? What drives you? I am curious as well, Bright Journey. Ametis, I understand far more after our talk, and I am enjoying haveing her as closer than any friend."
Bright Journey Bright listens to Amethyst and Black Pearl with curiosity, particularly Amethyst as she describes the fae of Elderloch. Her reply is soft, but she's looking intently at Amethyst as she speaks. "It sounds as if you know these Raksha quite well, Amethyst. I admit I hadn't heard of Raksha that are quite so enamored of Creation, but I'm sure you'd be the one to know. As for the Deathlords...I must be honest. I do not think Lookshy can be enough of a threat to them forever. You said it yourself earlier tonight--they're just waiting for the war to start. Maybe even helping it along, like I think they might be doing here in Great Forks. And once the war begins Lookshy will have its hands full. And then they will strike. That behemoth never went away, after all..."

Bright brightens up considerably at Lily's voice piping up. "Sugared dates? Oh, I dare say that sounds like an -excellent- idea. Not too many for me, though...I do still have to fit into my armor!" She laughs a bit, then turns to listenb to Black Pearl.

"See, now this is something I am curious indeed about. Mystical connection...closer than any friend. Amethyst, you have to come clean." She grins conspiratorially. "Is this you bringing your girlfriend to meet the family, as it were?"

Silk Moon Lotus Lily opens the backet and pulls out a fine porcelain bowl painted with the wood dragon painted onto it. She carefully places the bowl on the table and removes the lid reveiling skillfully made sugared dates that glisten in the light. &r&r She picks one up and takes it with her back to her station before eating it slowly. "They are as the chef stated my lady, wonderful."
Amethyst Amethyst is immediately flush and this nice purple-red color at the mention of Salara being her girlfriend. "N-no, nothing like that!" And then in a quieter voice, "She would, what, the fourth? No the, third, and I don't think my other lovers would be happy about it..." She rubs her face.

"Dragon-Blooded have something woven into our blood that allows us to swear oaths to one another, and in turn, we become what is usually referred to as 'Hearthmates', with these groups of oath-sharing dragons called a 'Hearth'. Salara is thus closer to an older sister than another girlfriend. In turn for this upholding the bond, we can sense one another from any distance, and breaking it is a high crime, to say nothing of the consequences of the shattering of the spirit of the one who would dare betray such an oath."

"I think I've heard you solars speak of similar bonds existing between Solars and Lunars."

Black Pearl "I wouldn't /mind/ having a lover, or several, here, and Ametis is rather pretty--as are you, Bright Journey, but..." Pearl sighs, "I've actually been chaste all my time here. And, well..." She chuckles, "I guess we will see what happens. But yes, we are oath-sworn to each other."
Bright Journey Bright certainly wastes no time having a sugared date. She must know something about the chef, too!

"Mmm. My compliments. You are too good to me, my dear," she murmurs to Lily, though it's still loud enough for the others to hear.

Still, Bright can't possibly fail to pay attention to Amethyst when she gets to that particularly entertaining shade of blush. "I admit, hearing that was part of why I brought it up. You certainly have your share of lovers, when I still..." Bright gets a fond, almost -goofy- smile on her face for a moment. "I imagine they wouldn't. I admit...this is the first I've heard of a 'hearth', but I find the idea an interesting one. Certainly something to keep in mind when speaking to other Dragon-Blooded. As for Solars and Lunars..."

Bright's goofy smile comes back again, and her expression then turns wistful. "It's true. Sometimes. I've spoken to other Solar Exalted, you know, and I'm the only one I know of who remembers someone like I do. But sometimes I see her in my dreams." Bright looks far away, out the window. "I can barely remember her face, you know, and I have no idea what her name is. Was. I dream of us and I can't tell if it's a thousand years ago or yesterday." She pauses and looks at Amethyst again. "But then I always wake up. I'll find her again someday. Somehow."

Silk Moon Lotus Silk blushes a little at the compliment "Thank you my lady, I will be sure to tell the chef you are pleased." She discretely licks her fingers to get the last of the sugar from them. She then looks aghast that she did it in front of her lady's host and other guest. "My apologies my lady, I was not myself."
Amethyst "Don't you have a partner back on the Isle somewhere?" Amethyst asks Pearl, looking sorrowful, but there might also be a spark of her pragmatic spirit somewhere. And when Bright speaks of her own experience, Amethyst can't help but comment, "...It's a shame, memories of past lives can affect us so. Like I sometimes remember a shining city that once floated like an entire island on the ocean, a place where a lot of interesting things happened, though I can't make sense of much of it."

...But Dragons don't have past life memories.

"What do I know, is that I have the power to look into other's memories. It's one of my gifts as a sorceress. It may be possible to find something more about your mate using that talent." Amethyst tells Bright, her determination showing through just a bit more.

Black Pearl "Nothing formal at all," Black Pearl replies. "I do not think my grandmother is even thinking about matches for me. So...I am free to choose myself, but until now, I have not found anyone even to dally with, let alone look for something more."
Bright Journey Bright smiles quietly at Silk, then gets a mischievous grin. "Oh, there's no need to apologize to me. Especially with those dates. But you might want to be careful doing that in front of Amethyst, at this rate it looks like she's a bit forward these days." She snickers quietly and looks at Amethyst to gauge how bad her blush is.

Bright looks curiously at Amethyst, as she describes her dream, but if she knows enough to say Amethyst can't have such memories she certainly doesn't bring it up. Instead, though, as soon as Amethyst describes looking into memories, Bright looks very still for a moment. Without a sound her grip on the edge of the table turns white-knuckled as she laser-focuses on the apothecary. "Can you...can you do that? I...look. I know it's not set in stone. If nothing happens, I understand. But if you have some way of...well, we have to try. I have to try." She smiles and looks at Black Pearl and almost looks at Silk before glancing away again. "Another time, of course. But I would be grateful."

Silk Moon Lotus "Of course my lady." She looks at Amethyst "My apologies lady dragon. The dates are delicious."
Amethyst "Regardless of skills or /forwardness/" The younger dragon glares at Silk through scarlet cheeks. "I think we've drifted a fair bit off topic. But I do think we established something important here. Salara is not here to sell us out to the Wyld Hunt, but instead wants to see a unified Creation as much as the rest of us. And so I think going forward we can count on her for our own endevours, and as we work together, slowly open and share more between one another."

"I firmly believe that the Dynasty will be overthrown by the anathema once the war comes, I also think that if we work together, we can make sure that Creation does not fall into the hands of its enemies: the true anathema who would tear it apart."